Mapped: Where Gen Z Is Moving, and Which States They’re Leaving in Droves

Nearly 1 in 4 Gen Z adults moved to a different state in 2024, a far higher share than any other generation, according to a new study.

Out of the 44.6 million members of Gen Z that are over the age of 18, 10.7 million of them, or 23.9%, took up residence in another state, according to a new report from LendingTree.

The analysis found that California lost the most Gen Z adults to interstate moves, with 58,000 more moving out of the state than moving in. Meanwhile, South Carolina gained the most new Gen Z residents from moves, adding a net 23,000 new residents of the generation.

In 2024, the year this report covers, the oldest members of Gen Z were 27.

Meanwhile in 2024, 10.4 million millennials, aged 28 to 43, also moved to a different state. While the raw number seems comparable to the movement of Gen Z, it represents a smaller share of a much larger generation. Only 14% of millennials moved, compared to the 23.9% of Gen Z adults.

The same year, just 7.2% of Gen Xers and 5.2% of baby boomers moved to a different state.

It is not very surprising that the youngest adult generation has the most mobility, according to the report’s author, Matt Schulz.

“In the part of their life that Gen Z finds themselves, they are just a little more able to move. There may be things tying them down to a given area and they would have a little more flexibility,” Schulz tells Realtor.com®. “When you’re young and you’re just getting started, you don’t have to worry about moving your kids to a new school or uprooting your entire family. You can just kind of get up and go, and I think we’re certainly seeing some of that in this.”

California was the state with the highest new loss of Gen Z adults in 2024. While an estimated 128,718 Gen Zers moved into the Golden State, the second only to Texas for new residents, a shocking 186,827 Gen Zers moved out. This was the largest loss of any state by far, leaving California with a net loss of 58,109 Gen Z adults.

New Jersey had the second-largest net loss of 37,556, with 36,422 Gen Zers moving in and 73,978 moving out.

Three other states had net losses of over 10,000: Illinois with a net loss of 20,031; Minnesota with a net loss of 13,827; and Massachusetts with a net loss of 10,038.

On the flip side, 31 states and Washington, DC, had more Gen Z adults move in than out. South Carolina saw the largest net gain of 22,843, with 60,223 Gen Zers moving in and 37,380 moving out.

Five other states had net gains of at least 10,000, including Missouri with a net gain of 14,063; Washington, DC, with a net gain of 13,905; Tennessee with a net gain of 13,537; Arizona with a net gain of 12,593; Washington state with a net gain of 11,781; and Texas with a net gain of 10,720.

Texas was the largest recipient of California’s losses. An estimated 19,287 Gen Z adults moved from California to Texas, while 13,362 moved from Texas to California. 

A number of other states also received their largest share of new residents from California. Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington state all had more new Gen Z residents from California than from any other state.

The report also shows significant movement between neighboring states. For example, South Carolina gained 9,374 new residents from and lost 7,251 residents to North Carolina.

There were also major shifts between New York and New Jersey, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana.

In addition to Gen Z simply having the flexibility to move, affordability plays a significant role. Of the states that saw the largest net losses of Gen Z adults, California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts consistently rank among the states with the highest cost of living, according to World Population Review.

Several of the states with the largest net gains, including South Carolina, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas, fall far lower on the cost-of-living index.

“Affordability has a lot to do with this,” says Schulz. “Where you live can absolutely have an impact and it can make a lot of sense for Gen Z to take advantage of some of the flexibility that they might have in pursuit of a cheaper place to live.”

The way Schulz sees it, Gen Z should use their mobile phase of life to seek out affordable living.

“Flexibility creates options,” he says. “In a time where so many things feel out of people’s control and people feel very powerless, if you are able to relocate and create some other options, you may be able to significantly improve your situation as it relates to affordability.”